Some call it a village, others a moshav, which means a kind of cooperative rural community. The truth is that Bethlehem of the Galilee is better known today because, according to archaeologists, it was where Jesus Christ was born, and not in the other Bethlehem, the Bethlehem of Judea. No wonder this village is just eight miles from the city of Nazareth, where according to biblical records, Mary and Joseph lived their lives - hence their proximity to Jesus’ birthplace.

Another very interesting historical fact about it is that until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, this region was dominated by a colony of German Templers. Only after that was it established as it still is today, where a little less than 200 families live and work together for the benefit of local sustainability.

I was fortunate enough to know this cute village - or moshav - when an Israeli friend kindly took me for a walk outside Tel Aviv to experience something different from what the average tourist is used to. We visited Bethlehem of Galilee on a quiet, sunny winter day and spent a few of the most special hours a trip can offer, in contact with a beautiful production of milk, olive oil and dairy products at the Galili Olive Press Center farm. I found that it all started l10 years ago, when a Tel Aviv businessman decided to leave the big city to pursue a dream and become a farmer. Anyone can come to the property to buy some local products such as olive oil, face and body creams based on olive, cheese and dairy food. School programs in the region also visit the farm for practical and theoretical lectures for children.

How to get there: the journey from Tel Aviv to Bethlehem of Galilee takes approximately two hours by car, the road is good, and the landscape is full of greenery.